The present invention to a stopper for accessories for tightening accessory chains or string elements, especially such as necklaces, bracelets and the like.
A variety of stoppers for holding an accessory chain or a string element, herein referred to as flexible strands, have been proposed.
For example, one proposal is to provide a type of personal ornament wherein a portion of a necklace is attached to a body of the stopper formed in a spherical shape of wax and having an insertion hole provided on the body of the spherical stopper, with silicon rubber put in the insertion hole, and a portion of the necklace being inserted in the insertion hole for releasably holding the necklace with silicon rubber. However, in this type of stopper, it is difficult to attach jewels such as diamonds, because the body of the stopper is of a thinly formed in thickness, resulting in inconvenience.
In addition, as described above, because this type of stopper is structured by providing an insertion on the spherically formed body of the stopper with silicon rubber put in the insertion hole and an end portion of the necklace is inserted in the insertion hole for holding the middle portion of the necklace with the silicon rubber, the structure makes it difficult to replace silicon rubber with ease, resulting in inconvenience when the rubber is missing or damaged.
The present invention solves the above problem by providing stopper that enables releasibly fastening the flexible strand, such that the stopper becomes a valuable accessory, thereby making the necklace and the bracelet more valuable, while lowering the price of the product and making repair work easier.
In one preferred embodiment, the accessory-chain/string stopper is characterized in that the accessory-chain/string element stopper comprises a first decoration side portion, a second decoration side portion spaced from the first decoration side portion, a central body portion with an end of the body connected to said first side portion, and another end connected to the second side portion, an aperture through the central body portion to enable an accessory chain or a string element to be inserted therethrough, and a first ring-like elastic element and a second ring-like elastic element formed from an elastic material provided around said body each of which is held between said first side portion and said second side portion.
The stopper assembly for jewelry use is especially characterized as comprising a pair of dome-shaped side elements and a central hub connecting the elements and defining circular or other shaped groove between the side elements surrounding the hub. At least one aperture is provided through the hub, with the aperture having a diameter larger than the diameter of the flexible strand, enabling the passage of at least one end of the strand through the aperture. At least one and preferably two elastomeric washers having central openings are installed within the groove in order to releasably retain the strand from longitudinal movement while allowing adjustments by pulling on the strand near the stopper. In the preferred embodiment, the outer diameter of the washer(s) is coextensive with the outer diameter of side elements or has a diameter less than the side elements. The flexible or elastic washers may be press fitted into the groove on either side of the aperture and strand, with the washers under compression with each other.